Bearing supports for pallet stacking



Dec. 9, 1958 l.. F. skualc BEARING SUPPORTS FOR PALLET STACKING Filed March 4, 1954 jre/rz Tr LEeoY F. SKL/Bic ,www

United States Patent O "ice 2,863,568 BEARING SUPPORTS FOR PLLET STCKING' Leroy F. Skubic, 'evly Slirs assigirtofflie Palter Corporation, Michigan City, Ind., a' corporation of Illinois Application March 4, 1954, Serial No. 415,999 z claims; (ci.4 21u-14er Yconstruction which reduce to a minimum thenumber of components required for the member; which-eliminates a number of expensive operations such as welding, threading,v etc. heretofore required in themanufacture of such members, thereby substantially reducing the cost ofmanufacturingvthe same; and which providesa sirnpler, more eicient mode of attachment to the pallet with which tj is to be used. Another object of the invention is to provideV alonepiece male bearing support member which is attachable directly to the underside of a palletor the like and which h as an integrally formed tubular shoe portion for receiving the lower end of a vertical spacer column or post to thereby impart lateral stability to the latter.

A further object is the provision in'such: a male member of a snubbed, or relatively blunt central nose portion which not only ts with self-alining separable bearing contact in a concave socket member, butn inf' addition presents'a relatively blunt and sturdy bottom surface' for supporting, the pallet when the latter is placed ont the ground or the floor,

Another object is to provide Vs ucha male bearingsup port member which utilizes a ange not only adaptedto i bear against the lip of a concave socket member to providelateral outboard support, but also serving as aconvenient means for attaching-the male member toi a pallet.

Still another Objectis the` provision of such a male memberwhich isj simple and economical in construction,

.readily formed by a stampingV or forging operation from sheet metal stock, yet which isA reliable 'in use:

` Other objects and advantages lwill becomeapparentas the following description proceeds,taken in conjunction with: the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an explodedfragmentary sideelevation, partially in section, of a pallet stacking-arrangement employing a male bearing support memberembodyingth'e features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryl `front elevation of `the pallet and malefmembei;v shown vin Fig.A 1

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary planview of the pallet shown inria. Zand Y .z I

Fig. 4 is/an enlarged' detail View, in'section, of the -male member, showing its` cooperative 'engagement with asupport post and a concave socket member, While' the inventionihas beenillustrated land' isj de- Ascribed injsome detail with" reference toi a particular` `Patented Dec. 9, 1958 2 embodiment thereof, there is no intention that it thus be limited to such detail. O'n the contrary, it is intended here to cover all alterations, modifications, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawing, only one corner of a pallet equipped with amale bearing support member of the present invention has been illustrated in Figs. 1-3. Upon reference to the above-mentioned Lundeen patent, the general organization of the pallets and vertical spacers or support posts, as well as themanner in which the pallets may be stacked in v'ertical tiers, will be clear.

Briefly, the arrangement is one in which a .plurality of pallets of any suitable type,tsuch as thos'eLadapt'ed to be handled by well-known industrial fork lift trucks, are adapted to be stacked in vertical relation. .The pallet 10' here shown by way of example is ofthe double-deck type formed' from suitable lumber. It comprises spaced stringers 11 across which upper kdeck planks 12 are nailed or otherwise fastened, the stringers in turn being suppo-rted on larger and more widely spaced bottom deck planks 14. At a plurality of spaced locations, for example, at its four corners, each of the pallets is adapted to receive in separable socketing relation a corresponding plurality of vertically and upwardly extending support columns or posts. These support posts may be of any suitable cross section,'the two posts 15 and 15a here illustrated being" made of circular pipe. .The lengths of the support posts may be varied as desired to adjust the vertical' spacing between successive pallets in a stacked tier, according to the. nature of the material being'stored or loaded onthe pallets.

Secured atthe upper end' of each ofthe support posts, either by Welding or by separable socketing engagement, is a generally concave socket member which extends transversely beyond the periphery of the post and opens upwardly. ln the drawing', the posts 15, 15a are capped by socket members 16, 16a, respectively, which are conical in` shape,. although their apexes may be somewhat rounded as shown. The upper circular edges or lips 17 of the concave socket members 1 6, 16d extend laterally for a considerable distance beyond the cross sectional area of the support posts so that, in the preferredf construction, the diameters of said'upper edgesA or lips 17 are more than twice the diameters of the support posts 15,

ToV mate with the ,socket members 16, 16a', a corresponding plurality of generally convex, downwardly extending male members are secured beneath each pallet. These male members are adapted to nestingly engage in corresponding socket members 16, 16a when a pallet is lowered over a plurality of upstanding` support posts. One such male member 18 is shown in the drawings and is described in detail below.

tier, it'is onlyV necessary to insert a plurality of the ',sup-

port posts 15 in the corners ofthe bottom pallet and then lift the next pallet above and lower it or'ito the socket members at the tops of such support posts. Such procedure may be repeated until a'tir having the desired :number of pallets and extending to the desired height is obtained, the spacing between successive pallets in the tier andthe total number of pallets in the tier being limited only by the nature and weight of the loads on the pallets.

InA accordance with the present invention, the improved male member'lS is constructed'to h'ave the usual selfalining nestinggengagement with the vcooperating socket members-16, 16a by virtue of a snubbed, relatively blunt,

central nose 19 which terminates in an upwardly extending tubular socket or shoe .portion 20 serving to receive the lower ends ofthe support posts when they are inserted through the pallets. Secondly, the tubular shoe portion joins with a skirt portion 21 flared upwardly and outwardly to terminate in a relatively large transverse flange 22 which affords, on the one hand, convenient attachment of the member to the under-side of the pallet and, on the other hand, bears against the upper peripheral lip 17 of the socket member 16a to provide lateral support outside the cross-section of the posts.

In the embodiment here illustrated, the male member 18 is conveniently formed by stamping or forging from heavy gauge sheet metal. Upon reference to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the male member 18 is formed with a central, downwardly extending, central nose portion 19 which is relatively blunt at its bottom extremity and curved upwardly at its edges. The portion 19, as the bottom wall of the male member, is of generally convex contour, having adjacent its marginal edges a surface area 19a complcmentally shaped with respect to the female, upwardly concave socket members 16, 16a with which it cooperates. When the member 18 is inserted into a socket member 16, 16a, the central nose portion 19 has an annular, upwardly inclined or frusto-conical surface 19a contacting the inner conical surface of the socket member. By virtue of the mating inclined surfaces, a high degree of self-alinement is achieved as the male member 18 is lowered into the socket member 16 or 16a. It is only necessary that the central nose portion 19 be roughly located within the upper periphery of the socket member, lowering of the male member into the socket member thus producing camming action which centers it in the position shown. Also, because the nose portion 19 has a relatively blunt bottom surface, it serves admirably to support the pallet 10 when the latter is placed on the ground or floor as the bottom pallet of a tier. Normally the bottom planks of a pallet on the floor, but in the event these planks wear down, or they are omitted entirely, the male members 18 rest on the oor. In such case, there is less likelihood for the nose portion 19 to be deformed under heavy load than in the case of a male member terminated in a relatively sharp apex.

As an integral part of the male member 18, a tubular or shoe portion 20 extends upwardly from the nose portion 19, being matched in cross-section with the support posts employed. In a sense, the shoe portion 20 may be considered as a tubular socket portion having..a first diameter, the rounded nose portion 19 extending axially y from one end of, and tapering in diameter in an axial direction away from, the socket portion to close the one end of the latter. In this instance, the tubular shoe portion 20 is circular in cross-section and adapted to receive in socketed relation the lower end or foot of the support post 15. Because the shoe portion 20 bears with peripheral surface contact of considerable axial length against the foot of the post 15, the latter is braced substantially against lateral movement or inclination. Yet, the socket for receiving the post 15 is formed as an integral part of the male member 18.

Extending axially from the other end of the cylindrical shoe or socket portion '20, the male member 18 further includes a flaring skirt 21 which progressively increases in diameter. At the end of the skirt 21 remote from the socket portion 20, it is joined with or terminates in a radially disposed ange 22 of a second diameter which Y is relatively large as compared to theV rst diameter, i. e., the diameter of the socket portion 20. The flange is disposed in a plane at right angles to the common axisof the support posts 15, 15a and the cylindrical shoevportion 20. As indicated particularly in Fig. 4, the vflange is adapted to rest with circular contact against the peripheral lip 17 of the corresponding socket member' 16a.r lAs a result, outboard support is provided betweenlthe male 14 take the weight i member 18 and the socket member 16a. That is, bearing contact is made outside the cross sectional area of the support posts 15, 15a', such outboard bearing contact preventing the two members from rocking relative to one another and affording lateral stability for the tier of pallets.

It will thus be seen that the male member has a socket portion 20 of substantially uniform diameter, with a nose portion 19 of decreasing diameter, and a skirt 21 of increasing diameter terminating in a large diameter flange 22, on opposite sides of the socket portion. This makes it possible for the single piece male member to perform the dual functions of (a) nesting with self-alinement and outboard support for stability in the concave part 16a, and (b) receiving the lower end of the post 15 to make the latter transversely stable.

In addition to the outboard bearing support imparting lateral stability to stacked pallets, the ange 22 serves as a convenient means for attaching the male member 18 Vdirectly to the underside of the pallet 10. As shown in Fig. 4, the flange may have a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes 22a which are located inboard of the flange periphery and which may receive a corresponding plurality of lag screws 24 (see Figs. l and 2) inserted into fastening engagement with the stringers 11.

To further enhance the lateral stability of the support post 15 when its lower end is socketed into engagement with the corner of the pallet 10, an apertured metal plate v25 may be fastened by suitable means such as wood screws 26 to the top of the plank 12 which overlies the male member 18. 'A vertical bore 28 is provided in the top plank 12 which registers with an aperture 29 in the top plate 25, the latter being of proper size to t with snug but slidable relation around the post 15. Thus, to place a post 15 in vertically extending relation with the pallet 10, it is only necessary to slip the lower end of the post through the plate 25 and down into socketed engagement with the cylindrical shoe portion 20 of the male member 18. In a similar manner the several posts may be disassembled from engagement with pallets simply by pulling them out of engagement with the male members 18 and free of the plates 25.

From the foregoing it will be clear how a plurality of the pallets 10 equipped with male members 18 and reinforcing plates 25 may be assembled with a plurality of support posts 15 capped by socket members 16 to form a tier of the pallets in vertically spaced relation. Such a tier may be disassembled with equal facility simply by lifting off the uppermost pallet in each case and withdrawing the support posts 15 from engagement with the next pallet. The advantageous features and construction of the support member 18, however, may be briefly summarized.

The integral or one-piece male member 18 is easily formed by a stamping or forging operation from relatively heavygauge sheet metal stock. Yet the construction of the male member is such that it provides self-alining engagement with the concave socket members 16, 16a by virtue of the inclined mating surface portions of the nose portion 19. The snubbed end of the nose portion 19 additionally provides a wide area contact when the pallet 10 is placed on the floor. Butat the same time, the formation of the nose portion 19 of relatively small diameter permits the socket member to include as an integral part thereof the tubular shoe portion 20 which serves as a socket for receiving the foot of the support post 15 -as it is inserted vertically into engagement with the pallet 10. No separate sleeve or welding of such sleeve is necessary. Further, it is not necessary to provide for the attachment of a separate sleeve to the pallet since the radial flange 22, suitably apertured, serves admirably for this purpose in cooperation with simple fastening means such as the screws 24. yBut the flange 22 in bearing against the upper lip 17 of the socket member 16a also alords outboard support enhancing the lateral stability of the cooperating engagement between the mating members. As a result, the socket member 18 makes possible the realization of a highly stable and selfalining support of a plurality of the pallets, as well as the socketing of support posts into the pallet, simply by screwing or otherwise fastening a number of the members 18 to the underside of the pallets at selected locations.

I claim as my invention:

l. lIn a load-carrying platform structure having a supporting pallet with a plurality of pairs of axially aligned vertical posts one post of each pair extending above the pallet, the other post of each pair being disposed in supporting relation below the pallet and provided at its upper end with a general conical upwardly-concave socket member terminating in a circular upper edge which lies a considerable distance laterally outward beyond the crosssectional area of said -other post; a post-receiving member comprising, in combination, a central tubular socket portion of substanti-al length into which a substantial length of the post 4at its lower end tits snugly; a nose portion on the underside of said socket portion and closing said socket portion at the bottom thereof; said nose portion being relatively blunt at its bottom and having a frusto-conical side area; an outwardly-Haring skirt portion extending axially from the upper end yof said socket por-tion; a radially out-turned ange at the outer end of said skirt portion which extends substantially at right angles t-o the axis of said socket portion, said flange having means formed thereon for facilitating attachment of said post-receiving member to the pallet; said flange also contacting the circular upper edge of the post-receiving member with the conical, upwardly concave socket member providing an aligning surface for the aforesaid nose portion and said frusto-conical side area contacting a portion of the conical upwardly concave surface.

2. In a load-carrying platform structure having a supporting pallet with a plurality of pairs of -axially aligned vertical posts, one post of each pair extending above the pallet, the other post of each pair being disposed in supporting relation below the pallet and provided at its upper end with an upwardly concave socket member terminating in a circular upper edge which lies a considerable distance laterally outward beyond the cross-sectional area of said other post, a unitary post-receiving member comprising the combination `of a central tubular socket portion; a relatively blunt convex nose portion on the outside of said socket portion and closing said socket portion at the bottom thereof; an outwardly-daring skirt portion extending .axially from the upper end of said socket portion and adapted to guide the end of a post into said socket portion; and a radially out-turned lange at the outer end of said skirt portion which extends substantially at right angles to the axis of the socket portion, said out-turned flange having a diameter which is large as compared to the diameters of the central socket portion and of the concave socket member, and means formed on said flange for facilitating attachment of the postreceiving member to a pallet.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,621,879 Lundeen Dec. 16, 1952 2,635,786 Wickson Apr. 21, 1953 2,673,700 Eberhardt Mar. 30, 1954 2,676,776 Townson Apr. 27, 1954 

